Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/04/13) */
I am writing today in response to your complaint[redacted] from Saddle Mountain Souvenir. Please allow me to take a moment to introduce my company and our mission.
Since 2001[redacted] has been working with local businesses nationwide to...
promote awareness of important community issues like Drunk Driving, Drug Abuse, Breast Cancer Awareness, Blood Donation and many others. We simply produce radio spots which contain positive messages that are sponsored by the local businesses and aired on local radio stations across the country. We have contracts with approximately 1300 radio stations nationwide, including some of the country's largest broadcast chains. In 2014, our company aired over 140,000 such messages which we feel made a real impression on the residents of the communities we serve.
On August 13, 2014 a Ms. [redacted] authorized the purchase of 5 Military Tribute messages on behalf of Saddle Mountain Souvenir. These spots aired on WWHC Radio in September. On October 17th, 2014, Ms.[redacted] called and tried to cancel her order but we had already provided the service and the spots had already aired. She asked for a duplicate invoice at that time.
On December 12, 2014 we received a note from Mr. [redacted] stating "per our phone conversation, I never agreed to this ad and there is nobody by this name (Ms.[redacted]) at this business. I am the sole owner." However, as part of our quality control process, after a sale is made, our Customer Service Department routinely calls customers back to verify the purchase. This is done on a recorded line with the customer's permission. In the case of Saddle Mountain Souvenir, we have Ms.[redacted] authorizing the purchase, verifying all of the order parameters, and stating quite clearly that she is the co-owner of the business. She then gives her final approval for the order to be processed.
I am not certain why Ms.[redacted] claims that this purchase was not authorized when her authorization is on tape or why Mr. [redacted] claims to be the sole owner when Ms.[redacted] clearly refers to herself as a co-owner. I am certain, however, that our company followed all of the necessary protocols to ensure this order was authorized and processed properly.
Since the customer did not attempt to cancel their order until after the spots were broadcast, thereby incurring substantial expense on our part, we must insist on payment for the open invoice for $340.00. Thank you for allowing me to reply to this complaint.
Regards,
[redacted] President
Multimedia Sales & Marketing, Inc.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/04/14) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Again as I told you before there is no Ms. [redacted] with my company. I don't know who you spoke to. If you check on my business with the state of West Virginia you will se I am the sole owner of this company and have been since my divorce in 2009. So unless you have my voice on your recording confirming this purchase as the Sole Owner I am not paying for it.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/04/16) */
Our Customer Service Manager, [redacted] has been in touch with Mr. [redacted] a couple of times since the original notice. From our side we believe the matter is settled and Mr. [redacted] has agreed to pay $170 toward his balance. We will write off the remaining balance once we receive payment. I assume the customer's response above was sent prior to our settlement agreement. We appreciate Mr. [redacted]'s cooperation.
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/09/26) */
I am writing today in response to your complaint #XXXXXXXX. Please allow me to take a moment to introduce my company and our mission.
Since 2001 MSM has been working with local businesses nationwide to promote awareness of important...
community issues like Drunk Driving, Drug Abuse, Breast Cancer Awareness, Blood Donation and many others. We simply produce radio spots which contain positive messages that are sponsored by the local businesses and aired on local radio stations across the country. We have contracts with approximately 1300 radio stations nationwide, including some of the country's largest broadcast chains. In 2013, our company aired over 40,000 such messages which we feel made a real impression on the residents of the communities we serve.
The MSM sales representative on this account, Mr. [redacted] has been with MSM since its inception and has the distinction of never having generated a single complaint in his 14 year history with the company. Mr. [redacted] has a well-known reputation as a low-key, honest sale representative, and since almost all of his sales come from his long-standing repeat customers, his customer must agree.
In addition to a successful career with our company, Mr. [redacted] has had an extensive on-air broadcast history. To that end Mr. [redacted] sounds like a radio personality. It is strictly against company policy for any representative to give a customer the impression that he or she is directly affiliated with the radio station beyond the contractual arrangement we have with them. Mr. [redacted] has never been accused of violating this policy. Unfortunately we cannot control what Mr. [redacted] perceived during this and previous sales calls, we can only go by Mr. [redacted]'s years of quality service and training. Additionally, I believe that the local sales representative for the radio station may have over- exaggerated as his claim does not take into consideration MSM's cost to process/produce such a small order - thus instigating the cancelation with a previously satisfied customer. After all, we believe our customers purchase our programs based on their belief in a worthwhile cause, not on where the sales rep is calling from.
Regardless of how Mr. [redacted] arrived at his decision to cancel his order, it is always our desire to maintain customer satisfaction both with the sponsors and the radio stations. As such, we have already cancelled the existing current order and initiated a refund of Mr. [redacted]'s previous two payments.
We are sorry to lose Mr. [redacted]'s support, but we will delete his name from our database so that he is not contacted for future community safety campaigns. If Mr. [redacted] would like to contact me directly, I am always available at XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Regards,
[redacted], President
Multimedia Sales & Marketing, Inc.
Steve *** in customer service was able to cancel my ad without any messVery Nice Customer service at this Business
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/04/13) */
I am writing today in response to your complaint[redacted] from Saddle Mountain Souvenir. Please allow me to take a moment to introduce my company and our mission.
Since 2001[redacted] has been working with local businesses nationwide to...
promote awareness of important community issues like Drunk Driving, Drug Abuse, Breast Cancer Awareness, Blood Donation and many others. We simply produce radio spots which contain positive messages that are sponsored by the local businesses and aired on local radio stations across the country. We have contracts with approximately 1300 radio stations nationwide, including some of the country's largest broadcast chains. In 2014, our company aired over 140,000 such messages which we feel made a real impression on the residents of the communities we serve.
On August 13, 2014 a Ms. [redacted] authorized the purchase of 5 Military Tribute messages on behalf of Saddle Mountain Souvenir. These spots aired on WWHC Radio in September. On October 17th, 2014, Ms.[redacted] called and tried to cancel her order but we had already provided the service and the spots had already aired. She asked for a duplicate invoice at that time.
On December 12, 2014 we received a note from Mr. [redacted] stating "per our phone conversation, I never agreed to this ad and there is nobody by this name (Ms.[redacted]) at this business. I am the sole owner." However, as part of our quality control process, after a sale is made, our Customer Service Department routinely calls customers back to verify the purchase. This is done on a recorded line with the customer's permission. In the case of Saddle Mountain Souvenir, we have Ms.[redacted] authorizing the purchase, verifying all of the order parameters, and stating quite clearly that she is the co-owner of the business. She then gives her final approval for the order to be processed.
I am not certain why Ms.[redacted] claims that this purchase was not authorized when her authorization is on tape or why Mr. [redacted] claims to be the sole owner when Ms.[redacted] clearly refers to herself as a co-owner. I am certain, however, that our company followed all of the necessary protocols to ensure this order was authorized and processed properly.
Since the customer did not attempt to cancel their order until after the spots were broadcast, thereby incurring substantial expense on our part, we must insist on payment for the open invoice for $340.00. Thank you for allowing me to reply to this complaint.
Regards,
[redacted] President
Multimedia Sales & Marketing, Inc.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/04/14) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Again as I told you before there is no Ms. [redacted] with my company. I don't know who you spoke to. If you check on my business with the state of West Virginia you will se I am the sole owner of this company and have been since my divorce in 2009. So unless you have my voice on your recording confirming this purchase as the Sole Owner I am not paying for it.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/04/16) */
Our Customer Service Manager, [redacted] has been in touch with Mr. [redacted] a couple of times since the original notice. From our side we believe the matter is settled and Mr. [redacted] has agreed to pay $170 toward his balance. We will write off the remaining balance once we receive payment. I assume the customer's response above was sent prior to our settlement agreement. We appreciate Mr. [redacted]'s cooperation.
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/09/26) */
I am writing today in response to your complaint #XXXXXXXX. Please allow me to take a moment to introduce my company and our mission.
Since 2001 MSM has been working with local businesses nationwide to promote awareness of important...
community issues like Drunk Driving, Drug Abuse, Breast Cancer Awareness, Blood Donation and many others. We simply produce radio spots which contain positive messages that are sponsored by the local businesses and aired on local radio stations across the country. We have contracts with approximately 1300 radio stations nationwide, including some of the country's largest broadcast chains. In 2013, our company aired over 40,000 such messages which we feel made a real impression on the residents of the communities we serve.
The MSM sales representative on this account, Mr. [redacted] has been with MSM since its inception and has the distinction of never having generated a single complaint in his 14 year history with the company. Mr. [redacted] has a well-known reputation as a low-key, honest sale representative, and since almost all of his sales come from his long-standing repeat customers, his customer must agree.
In addition to a successful career with our company, Mr. [redacted] has had an extensive on-air broadcast history. To that end Mr. [redacted] sounds like a radio personality. It is strictly against company policy for any representative to give a customer the impression that he or she is directly affiliated with the radio station beyond the contractual arrangement we have with them. Mr. [redacted] has never been accused of violating this policy. Unfortunately we cannot control what Mr. [redacted] perceived during this and previous sales calls, we can only go by Mr. [redacted]'s years of quality service and training. Additionally, I believe that the local sales representative for the radio station may have over- exaggerated as his claim does not take into consideration MSM's cost to process/produce such a small order - thus instigating the cancelation with a previously satisfied customer. After all, we believe our customers purchase our programs based on their belief in a worthwhile cause, not on where the sales rep is calling from.
Regardless of how Mr. [redacted] arrived at his decision to cancel his order, it is always our desire to maintain customer satisfaction both with the sponsors and the radio stations. As such, we have already cancelled the existing current order and initiated a refund of Mr. [redacted]'s previous two payments.
We are sorry to lose Mr. [redacted]'s support, but we will delete his name from our database so that he is not contacted for future community safety campaigns. If Mr. [redacted] would like to contact me directly, I am always available at XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Regards,
[redacted], President
Multimedia Sales & Marketing, Inc.